Finding Himself
by ForeverBewildered
Summary: Summary: After the harrowing experience with Amon, Bolin is taking some time to find himself in his Bending. His solitude is shattered when Korra comes by to visit and attempts to help. :One-shot:


**Author's Note: **I LURVE _Avatar: the Legend of Korra_ so much, after watching the episodes online. It feels like _The Last Airbender, _but uniquely different at the same time. And, this may come as no surprise for all those fun-lovers out there, but my favorite characters are Bolin and Meelo. I love a guy with a sense of humor, who can be laid-back and maybe even have an aura of innocent naivete about him- which is pretty much Bolin in a little pretty basket with a colorful ribbon tied to it. :)

(In "The Revelation", seeing him on the stage, his emerald green eyes wide and uncertain made the fan-girl in me squee with deadly force. Also, green is my favorite color, and I am an eye person. The first thing I notice on someone is there eyes... Bolin was made for me. Haha.)

That being said, my _LoK _stories will tend to be Bolin (or even Meelo) centric, as I love to think there is so much potential with these characters, and depths to them just _waiting _to be explored and expanded upon.

**WARNING: **This is my first fic to be posted online. I admit I am not the most proficient of writers, so please do not take any mistakes or errors to heart. I do not have a gift for writing, but I do enjoy it so. Enough not to let something like the lack of _ability _or _skill _stop me. (When have I ever?) So, I ask you all enjoy yourselves regardless, and please feel free to send criticism my way. I can take the heat. ;)

**Story Notes: **Takes place three days after events in "The Revelation", and will contain some **SPOILERS. **Do **NOT **read if you do not want to be spoiled.

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**Summary: **After the harrowing experience with Amon, Bolin is taking some time to find himself in his Bending. His solitude is shattered when Korra comes by to visit and attempts to help. **:****One-shot:**

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In. Out.

With an upsweep motion of his arms, Bolin lets his eyes fall close and instinct take over. Through the connection with the Earth itself, the young Bender plants his feet apart and extends that part of himself that is not entirely _him_ but also of the stone weights piled in the center of the Training Room of the Pro-Bending Arena. He lets his breath leave him and, with a foward shove of his hands outwards, the top stone weight rushes to obey its Master.

With a _woosh _it flies forward into the air, careeing into the safety net set up to help prevent too much damage from trainees, with a force of unseen power behind it.

It is only after he hears the distict _twish _of the weight smacking the net that Bolin allows himself to lift his eyelids, revealing the bejeweled emerald of his eyes, now shaded beneath his long, black lashes. He gazes at the stone weight hanging innocently in the net, feeling distant and unmoved at the same time. He doesn't remember how long he has been at this- Earthbending in the training room. The only sign of how long it has truly been is the stiffness in his joints, the sweat rolling down from his inky black hair to the nape of his neck and forehead, and that almost ethereal weariness that comes from extending his spiritual _chi_ trying to Bend continually without rest.

Raising his hand to wipe away the film of sweat that is about to trickle into his eye, Bolin lets out another sigh, this one shaky and heavy.

In. Out.

_I'm not done. I can continue- I _will _continue, _the teenage boy thinks with renewed resolve. Images of Lightning Bolt Zolt flashes in his mind's eye; the way his body crumpled to the floor with a weak gasp as his Bending was _torn_ from him and he _wasn't_ _himself anymore -_with a grunt he tears his mind from those images and stomps on the floor. Through his feet making contact with the floor, he sends energy to the pile of stone weights, and this time three fly off simultaneously. The _chi _Bolin uses for this attempt surges and plummets, making Bolin sway dizzily, but he is satisfied when the stone weights, instead of hitting the net and getting caught pierce _right through _and embed themselves deeply into the far wall.

Spider-lined cracks stretch from the weights' new perch, and Bolin winces when he realizes that the damage he has caused will cost him winnings from his next Pro-Bending tournament.

_Mako is going to have my hide for that._

But still. It is worth it.

He hasn't lost his Bending, and he's still _him._

Feeling that nagging tendril of doubt and fear trying to curl up his spine, Bolin lets out a soft grunt and gets into another stance, ready for more Bending. By now, his muscles are close to screaming in agony, his heart pounds hard enough behind his ribcage to tear through his chest, his breathing is embarrassingly labored, and the sweat at the nape of his neck is now traveling down his back. His back that he had bared of his shirt earlier when the heat from his workout made wearing said shirt pointless.

But it matters not; he is alone in the room, and he prefers to be clad in only his pants when engaging in a true workout. It isn't like there are any girls around for him to be modest for anyway.

"Are you trying to wear yourself out on purpose?" A slightly amused voice speaks up suddenly from behind Bolin, interrupting his focus. "Because, I should tell you, that isn't a way to get girls to notice you."

With a start, Bolin whips around to see Korra leaning lazily against the entrance threshold, her arms folded across her chest. Bolin quickly notices that she is not wearing her usual Water Tribe clothing- instead her slender, yet muscular, form is covered in a yellow blouse and red trouser pants with matching knee-high boots. She reminds him vaguely of the Air monks from the Air Island off the City's coast. Even her long, dark brown hair is up in a tight bun with an Air insigna band holding it together instead of the blue pins she favors.

A few long strands managed to escape captivity and hang in long, lose waves by the sides of her neck, just behind her ears, however.

_Well, she _does _live on the Island, so why wouldn't she look like the monks that live there, too? _Bolin reminds himself after a moment.

It does not matter what she is wearing though- with her exotic dark skin and startling cerulean blue eyes, anyone can mark her as Water Tribe from a single glance. Though, of course, she is infinitely more than that.

Both to him, and to the entire _world._

Despite this, Bolin does not feel any anxiety around the Avatar- he manages a weak smile for her as she saunters further into the room, her eyes roaming until they land on the weights embedded in the wall. The only outwards signs Bolin can see from her is her dark brows lifting in surprise, and the way her lips press ever so lightly together. He has only known her for a little over three weeks, but he can already identify some of her tell-signs. Just because he can be silly doesn't mean he doesn't notice things- notices other people.

He does, and he notices _her _especially, ever since stumbling upon her in this very room three weeks prior for the first time. The tightening of her lips and lifting of her eyebrows gives him the impression she is troubled about something, yet when her eyes turn to find his again they are light, full of understanding... and so very _knowing. _

As if she knows what he is doing, what he is_ trying_ to find in this room.

He finds that does not bother him as much as he thought it would. After all, if not for her, he would not be here this day, fighting to prove to himself that he isn't lost, that he can _still do this-_

"I don't need to try to get girls to notice me," Bolin says abruptly, hoping to distract himself from his own thoughts. "That comes _naturally," _He gives an exaggerated grin and wink to flourish his comment, even though he does not feel like smiling at the moment.

And it isn't like he _wants _any girls to notice him, really. That's just for show, most of the time.

But he isn't going to _tell_ anyone that.

Korra lets out a snort, before giving a shake of her head.

"Here I am, escaping Master Tenzin's training thinking I could have a fun day with you since Mako is at work... only to discover you're training, too. It kinda makes me feel guilty, skimping out on Master Tenzin like that," Korra says lightly, coming to stand next to Bolin. Her eyes look him up and down, taking in his stocky, yet trimmed, sweat-covered torso and flushed face, before looking back in the direction of the stone weights stuck in the wall.

But not before Bolin sees _something _flicker in her eyes, too fast for him to recognize or understand.

He swallows hard, wondering why his face suddenly feels so warm.

"How long have you been at this?" she asks curiously, turning after a quiet minute to hold his gaze. For a moment, Bolin briefly wonders if Korra already knows the answer to her question, the way her eyes narrow suspiciously at him, before refocusing on trying to answer the question himself.

He gives a one armed shrug in response.

"A while," he answer vaguely. He cannot help but quell under the intensity of Korra' gaze, and lowers his eyes to the floor, suddenly finding the wood extremely fascinating.

It's quiet as Korra simply looks at him. Reads him like an open book.

One minute.

Two.

"Bolin-" Korra starts, her brows narrowed into a frown. Concern clouds her eyes, and the Earthbender cannot stop the words from spilling out of his mouth in an effort to reassure her.

To reassure himself.

"It helps," Bolin interrupts her, not unkindly, but desperately. He wants her- _needs _her to see that. Because if he can convince someone else, then surely it must be true. Korra closes her mouth, waiting for him to continue.

With a soft exhale just short of being a sigh, Bolin runs his fingers through his sweat-soaked hair trying to gather some semblance of order to his chaotic thoughts.

"I can hardly sleep, because everytime I close my eyes I see Lightning Bolt Zolt and-" He chokes momentarily, and clears his throat. "He was- Amon was going to take away my _Bending. _And I know- I know that he _didn't, _but I can't forget that he was _going _to. It... I was terrified. I still am. So I... I thought if I practiced I would...I could prove I'm still _me._"

His words die, and his eyes close. Let Korra think of him what she will.

Korra says nothing for a moment.

Then- "Prove it."

Bolin's eyes shoots open. He looks at Korra, sees the look of determination on her face and cannot fight the instant spike of _challenge _that flares in his chest at that expression being aimed at him.

"W-what?" Bolin instead stutters, his eyes widening in his confusion. Korra takes another step towards him, so close and so sudden that their faces nearly touch and their warm breath mingles together in the small space between them-

-suddenly feeling horribly unbalanced and trying to regain himself, Bolin stumbles back to put a little space on his side.

What is Korra _doing?_

Bolin's heart pounds heavily again, and he finds that his throat is strangely dry. He is _so _out of his element right now.

"You say you're trying to prove to yourself you're still you? Try and prove it to _me._" Korra insists.

No, she demands.

Bolin gets no moment of reprieve before Korra once _again _crowds him, pushing herself right into his space. Though he is not as tall as Mako, he is still taller than Korra. That does not seem to matter now; with the way her gaze makes him feel vulnerable and powerless under its steel resolve, the way her mouth is set and her eyes blaze so _brightly_ and even if she is smaller than him how _dare _she make him feel so-

Oh. _Oh._

_Of course._

She is challenging him. A chance to prove to himself, once and for all, he hasn't lost anything.

That he is fine.

His brows furrow, and his body moves into a fighting stance almost without thought.

"Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're a girl," he says, and this time when his lips twist into a half-smile it is authentic, for the first time in days. Korra sweeps her left leg back and twists her right side forward so that she is turned towards him. Both her hands come up, palms open.

"I should hope not," she retorts coolly. "I would hope for this fight to have _some _challenge for me."

As the two friends circle each other slowly, Korra is the first to lash out.

With a running leap, her left foot kicks up in an arc, and a jet of red flames shoot directly at the teenage boy. Calling the earth to him, Bolin plants his feet firmly, and crosses his arms at the wrist. With a _twist _of that part of himself that is now alligned with the floor, a surge of pure Earth breaks from beneath the wood and creates a miniature wall between him and Korra's flame.

The flames part around the barrier, not touching Bolin but close enough for his bare skin to tingle from the intense heat. Collapsing the wall, the Earthbender swirls on the balls of his bare feet, movements as graceful as a dancer's despite his frame, and the stone weights fly at the Avatar with startling speed. Korra whirls away from one, jumps over the other and barely manages to duck backwards under the last one, the weight so close it grazes a hair's breath away from the tip of her nose.

The dance between them continues on, Bolin losing himself in the fight, and Korra's movements so lithe and light it is as if she is dancing on the air itself.

Dodge, turn.

Thrust. Move- _move._

Spin. Block.

Attack.

Finally, nearly spent, Bolin seizes the opportunity as Korra lands from dodging another weight, to bring the ground up and knock her off balance. However, he does not take into account how close she is to him. In pure self-preservation, almost reflex, Korra reaches out and grips his forearms to try and right her balance.

The result has him toppling down after her, and he manages to brace his hands out to catch himself on the ground before his full weight can slam into her. During the spar, her hairband had been lost, and so now her brown tresses fan out onto the floor under her head like a wavy blanket, and beads of sweat decorate her forehead. Her lips are parted slightly, spilling out warm breath as she fights to calm herself after the adrenalin rush.

Hands braced on either sides of the Avatar's head, Bolin holds himself up above her in a moment that feels suspended, surreal. He stares down at her in pure wonder, and a small bead of sweat trails down the side of his cheek during his quiet observation.

He has it. He's fine and will continue to be.

How could he have ever thought otherwise?

Raising her hand slowly, Korra gently places it on her friend's face, cupping the side of his jaw in reassurance and comfort. A smile of such warmth and sincerity graces her lips- aimed at, and just for, him -and it is almost _painful, _the way his heart flutters at the sight.

_What is happening? What am I doing? _He wonders distantly. Though confused, the moment is too perfect to ruin it with much thought.

Bolin cannot stop his eyes from slipping close at the impossibly soft warmth of Korra's hand, burning his skin like a brand, touching his face.

His thoughts scatter.

They spend the next few seconds not moving, suspended from their workout, with Korra spread beneath the heavier boy, her chest heaving, her hand still on his face and her thumb lazily stroking his jawline in what can only be considered an absentminded caress.

_She truly is a good friend, _Bolin admits to himself, looking into her eyes.

Belatedly, Bolin finally realizes there is no way Korra can be comfortable being squashed under him, and hastily rolls over onto his back beside her. The pair both stare up at the ceiling.

"You haven't lost it, Bo." Korra says after a while, absentmindedly calling him by his nickname. "And Amon will _never _be able to take it away, no matter how hard he tries. Not if we have anything to say about it," she adds as a mutter.

Feeling... _good, _as he hasn't the past three days, Bolin sits up and turns his head to look at Korra. He wishes he can properly thank her in words, but he doesn't know if he can. Seeing his internal debate, Korra sits up next to him, and regards him with a questioning look.

Her head tilts at an angle in her curiosity, causing her long hair to spill over her shoulder, while resting her hands in her lap. Bolin turns his face away to think properly.

And then suddenly inspiration hits him.

When he was a young child, he would sometimes see his father show his mother gratitude by grabbing her hand and-

-eyebrows lifting in a silent question, Korra doesn't protest when Bolin reaches out, grasps her hand in both of his, and brings it up to place a feather light kiss on the back of it.

"Thank you, Korra." He says, utterly sincere. He lowers his hands to his lap and leaves them open for Korra to pull her hand away. Instead, his friend turns her hand in his to slip her fingers through his fingers, her dark skin standing out in contrast to his fair.

She gives Bolin's hand a reassuring squeeze and blinding smile, to which he returns without hesitation.

"Always," she says simply.

With a nod, Bolin finally turns from her gaze to take in the rest of the room, and his face falls.

"Um... Korra?" He says softly.

"Yes?"

"Master Tenzin doesn't happen to give you an allowance does he?"

"I _wish_... why?"

Bolin nods his head, and Korra turns to take in the Training Room. Her face pales.

Upturned flooring runs rampant, dirt litters pretty much everything, and there are areas of puddles on the parts of the floor still in tact.

Not to mention the parts of the walls that are blackened with scorch marks.

To make matters worse, one of the Arena sponsors manages to find his way into the room, out of _all the rooms _that are available for him to stumble into, just then.

Talk about bad luck.

His eyes widen comically, before rounding on the two teens.

"What do two you have to _say _for yourselves?" He rages, his arms waving wildly about.

Bolin and Korra share a silent look, Korra's hand still in his though neither are mindfully aware of it, before turning to look back at the sponsor.

"... Oops?" They respond simultaneously.

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**END.**

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**So? What did you think? I personally think that, with Bending being so important to a person, only to see someone else have their Bending ripped away from them against their will in front of their eyes... it is nothing short of traumatic.**

**And I think that, while Bolin still has his carefree, silly personality intact, he is not going to leave seeing something like that completely Scott-free, so I'd imagine training even more rigorously is something he'd do.**

**With Korra... well, I could see her trying to comfort someone by making them fight to help them gain their confidance back. It seems like something the Avatar would do, and I imagine that, beneath her tough girl persona, there's a compassionate young woman willing to go an extra mile for a dear friend in distress.**

**Comments? Questions? Anything you'd like to see in the future? (Preferably dealing with either Korra and Bolin, or just Bolin?) **

**I am game if you are.**


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